


dark blue

by beyondlogicalclarity



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/F, Fluff, Multi, Smut, a mixture of things here, please read author notes at the start
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:20:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24257302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beyondlogicalclarity/pseuds/beyondlogicalclarity
Summary: “Tell me a secret.”“A secret?” Lena asks, before humming and pondering on what to tell her. Once, her hand squeezes Kara’s hand before retreating. “I hid something in my apartment.”Kara turns her head, eyeing Lena’s side profile in curiosity. “What did you hide?”“Well,” Lena vaguely smirks, the usual kick not behind it, “that is another secret.”* tags and author notes updated...nothing else has changed *
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Samantha "Sam" Arias/Alex Danvers
Comments: 73
Kudos: 597





	dark blue

**Author's Note:**

> \- Trigger Warning (no rape/sexual assault or self-harm) and nothing graphic, but it's here and you should know. Also, brief usage of weed and alcohol. 
> 
> \- Alex does not work for the government or in a hospital. She’s like chilling somewhere in a private practice. She has access to certain files, but not all. And she forgets to work technology (or, well, google).
> 
> \- Beat'd by OracleWasCooler
> 
> \- Title from Jack's Mannequin song of the same name.
> 
> \- I don't own anything. This was written for fun and not profit.

1.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

Truth be told, Kara does want to do this. It’s been on her mind since Alex had met Samantha Arias and things took a turn on the serious side. Kara is an adult in her twenties. It is time. She’s ready.

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“You know, Sam doesn't mind if you still stay with us. And Ruby adores you.”

“Alex,” Kara's eyes soften. Her sister is doing the overprotective thing, but Kara isn’t anyone’s responsibility. Alex deserves having a home with a little family of her own that doesn’t include her sister crashing in the extra bedroom. “I’ll be fine.”

Alex stares at her long and hard for six seconds before exhaling a sigh. Her shoulders drop down, releasing some tension and she gives Kara a little grin. “Yeah, of course you will be.” Her eyes narrow, playful but serious, as she points at her. “But the _second_ you get overwhelmed, or need help, or _anything_ – ”

“I’ll come to you,” Kara rolls hers eyes playfully, giggling and accepting the tiny shove of her shoulder as Alex knocks them together but stays to lean.

2.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Ruby, squinting against the sunlight to look all the way up the outside of a large apartment complex, asks the question her mother and Alex are thinking. The building looks like it’s falling apart. All of them turn their heads for an answer.

Kara just stares up at the older apartment building, hands on her hips and a wide smile on her face. She steps towards the entrance, waving them forward. “Yeah, come on!”

Everybody except Kara is sketched out by the stairwell on the way up, but it isn’t until they barely open the front door to a studio apartment that Alex interjects.

“Absolutely not.”

“ _Alex_ ,” Kara whines, pout automatically on her face. “You haven’t even given it a chance.”

“Kara, this place is a dump. Your budget can afford a better place than this.”

“What? No, Alex, look.”

Her sister does look then, really taking in the stains on the carpet and the hole in the wall, and was that a cockroach? There isn’t anything better in the other spaces of the place – a kitchen and a bathroom. Alex still says no.

“I already decided to repaint the walls. Imagine lilac in the living room, teal in the bathroom, and red in the kitchen.” Kara tells them, arms out wide in a ta-da type of way and a proud grin on her face.

“I like it,” Ruby says, unhelpfully, yet helpfully. It depends with which side you’re on. Alex can’t even attempt to glare at the kid.

“I think she may be on to something, Alex.”

Sam _is_ someone Alex can willingly glare at, and she does so, but all Sam does in reaction is roll her eyes with that dumb smile that Alex fell for to begin with.

“Some of the most beautiful things go through a tough period.” Sam tells Alex, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer in to her side, smirking when Alex practically melts at the touch. “Plus, it’d be nice for her to have an outlet like this.”

Damn Samantha Arias and her perfect reasoning. God, Alex loves her so much. Though, seriously, Sam is right. Kara could use all the projects she can get her hands on if it meant staying out of her head for more than a couple of minutes.

It’s been this way since they were just teeny teenagers.

“Fine,” Alex caves, looking sternly at her sister, “But, first, we exterminate the roaches.”

Kara and Ruby high-five each other in glee. 

3.

They spend a week turning the rundown studio apartment into a modern, upbeat setting. Parts of Kara's personality is sprinkled upon each area. In the furniture, and the curtains, and the art. There’s a corner of her studio dedicated to her painting supplies. A line of candles on the kitchen windowsill. Ruby drew her a cool picture of a female superhero that now is in its designated spot above her dresser.

They turn it in to a true home, and Alex stops complaining about the place.

They even exterminated the roaches.

4.

Kara has always loved the written word and the truth it can bring to people since she was a tiny child still living at home with her birth family. When she was in middle school, she had learned about the cool careers she could pour her interests in to. Journalism had been her favorite and it’s stuck with her all the way into adulthood.

5.

It happens on a Saturday afternoon.

Kara had just made it up the stairs with her arms full of groceries when one of the bags busts open, sending canned soup on the ground. A can rolls down two sets of steps. Groaning, Kara sets the rest of the bags down, gathering up her food.

Suddenly, feet appear in her sight and she looks up to see a woman holding the can from the stairs.

“Oh, hi,” Kara says, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Golly, she thinks, she’s beautiful. When the woman smirks at her, Kara realizes that she must have said it out loud and blushes scarlet.

“Hi,” The woman says, bending down to help Kara gather the remaining canned stragglers. “Do you need help to your place?”

“Uh, yeah, su-sure.” Kara mentally berates herself for the stutter, and hopes she isn’t overly smiling.

With the help of the woman, they make it to Kara’s place with all the food and Kara thanks her as they set everything down on to the table.

“No problem at all.” The woman smiles, jokingly saying, “I can spot trouble from miles away.”

“I’m Kara.”

“Lena.” Lena extends her hand to shake Kara’s. Her hand is super soft. “I should get going.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Kara does so and Lena walks directly across the hall to apartment 407 with a key in hand. “Oh, I guess we’re neighbors.”

“I guess I’ll be seeing you around then,” Lena says, before unlocking her door and parting ways with a wave goodbye and a smile that Kara matches.

Kara doesn’t know what it is about her yet, but she’s already drawn in by the woman.

6.

Kara hates being alone in her own home. It can be peaceful as much as it can be uneasy.

Thanks to Ruby’s suggestion, Kara visits an animal kill shelter looking for the right dog companion to take home with her. She finds a six year old chocolate lab that instantly takes to her.

Her name is Bella, and she looks up at Kara like they could save each other’s lives.

Kara signs the adoption papers.

7.

The next time Kara sees Lena, she comes home to a note on her door that invites her over.

This is what Kara learns that day.

Bella takes to Lena, and vice versa, with no hesitation.

Lena is kind, intelligent and witty. She doesn’t have any friends, nor family – at least, none she claims. She makes really good food.

Kara likes that Lena is into the older things. That she doesn’t listen to modern music, or decorate her home with a more modern feel. There are stringed lights, large books, small plants, but the furniture’s designs and colors look out dated like they just walked out of a thirty year old home living magazine. In fact, Lena doesn’t even own a cellphone. No television or laptop. That part is odd on most levels, but there are people out in the world with no craving for technology; though, that doesn’t seem to match Lena’s future forward attitude.

8.

In an instant, Lena becomes an essential part to Kara’s own being.

They start talking heavily. They invite each other over all the time. They take Bella on walks together. Lena makes sure to make extra food, saving any leftovers for Kara. When Kara makes coffee in the morning, she always takes over a large mug for Lena.

Admittedly, she really likes seeing Lena in her sleepwear with wild bedhead. It leaves a nice tingle below her belly.

9.

There’s a knock on the door, Kara opening it to Lena’s beautiful face.

“May I borrow a cup of sugar?”

Kara laughs at the neighbor joke and takes her hand to guide her further in the studio. “Get in here, you dork.”

They make brownies that day, and Kara finds that they can’t stop touching each other. A one-armed hug here, and a hand brush there. Kara also finds that she does not mind it.

10.

Lena doesn’t talk about her family much.

They hold a conversation about them over meatless spaghetti. Janis Joplin is crooning lowly in the background on Lena’s record player. It feels like the best date Kara has ever been on. Except, Lena didn’t call it a date and, in reality, it probably isn’t one, but Kara is allowed to feel what she feels. She just won’t mention it.

Lena’s birth mother died when she was very young. The father she had never known, Lionel Luthor, took her in, and as Lena herself puts it, “Threw me into a lion pit.” That young, she didn’t know how evil they would be. Then she grew up and her brother, Lex, killed people under the guise of saving the earth from aliens. 

Her stepmother, Lillian - unloving and cold - never did take to Lena. When Lena found evidence of Lex’s crimes and went to court to testify, things only got worse. Then Lex was beaten to death in prison and Lillian turned completely against her. Lena had fled from Metropolis to National City under the last name of McGrath to find refuge.

It’s so blunt, honest, but Kara doesn’t think something like that should be shared if you’re in hiding.

“Call me foolish, but I –” Lena starts, soft and vulnerable, almost surprised with what is about to come out of her mouth. Looking into her eyes with a quick turn to determination, Lena says, “I trust you, Kara.”

Kara smiles, wide and bright, ducking her head down at those words with a light blush to her cheeks.

Lena seems to be blushing, too, then asks, “What about you?”

Kara doesn’t hold anything back, either.

Her parents also died, but from a car accident when she was thirteen. Kara had been dragged out of the car by a random man driving by, but he couldn’t make it back in time to save her parents before the car exploded. After the accident, the Danvers family immediately took her in, having been very close friends with one of her cousins.

Kara admits to missing them, and here, Lena reaches over and holds her hand. Kara, on a lighter note, tells her all about Alex and how, though it can be a bit annoying at times, she loves having a sister.

The entire time, Lena looks directly at her with almost intense interest, pausing only to fork food in her mouth. Kara feels more heard and seen during the talk than she has her whole life.

11.

Kara invites Lena over to drink wine while painting.

They put on some classic songs and put newspaper down on the floor for any dripping paint.

Kara sings excitedly, swinging the hand with the paintbrush around and blue paint hits Lena’s face. Kara apologizes profusely, but before she could get a wet cloth for Lena to clean herself with, Lena shakes her own paintbrush at Kara and a nice, deep red splatters onto Kara’s shirt. 

Kara gasps. 

Lena laughs.

They begin a paint war. The newspaper on the floor is unhelpful at this point. Later on, Kara will stay up to scrub the paint off the wooden floors and lilac walls. No regrets.

They are covered from head to toe in paint – a nice rainbow on their bodies – when they finally calm down. Lena takes one look at Kara’s unharmed painting on the easel and gasps at seeing her face staring right back at her. The brush strokes are even and the details almost delicate, especially around the eyes.

“You’re so good,” Lena tells her lowly, locking eyes with her.

There’s a pause - an intensity building up in the moment – Lena looking down at her lips and licking her own. A hand comes up to cup Kara’s face, thumb wiping green off her cheek. Kara thinks they’re about to kiss, but – feeling jittery - she moves away.

Kara has not received attention like this and it overwhelms her. Yes, she is aware that she is indeed a beautiful looking being, but that doesn’t always mean that people take notice. Especially not people as stunning as Lena.

Kara decides to focus her attention on Lena’s painting. She laughs, happy and feeling whole. “Nice stick figures.”

“Hey! I worked really hard on that.” Lena laughs right with her.

12.

Kara checks her watch for the eighth time. It’s exactly thirty minutes past the scheduled dinner and Lena has not arrived yet. It’s worrisome. Lena is a punctual person.

The food is going cold. Sam keeps looking over to Alex in what looks like concern and pity, and Ruby looks starved.

“Kara – ”

“She'll be here,” Kara cuts Alex off. She glances at her watch once more before abruptly standing up from her chair and heading towards the door. “Maybe I should knock on her door to see if she’s okay.”

Alex follows Kara, sighing and telling her to come back. Of course she doesn’t, and spends the next couple of minutes knocking on the door across the hall.

“Kara, she’s standing you up.”

“No,” Kara says, shaking her head. “That’s not like her.”

In the living room, Sam sets about getting her and Ruby ready to leave. The food has been properly packaged and placed in the refrigerator, some ready to take home with them.

Lena does not answer the door and Kara is more than disappointed, finally allowing Alex to guide her back to her studio. The little family leaves not long after. Kara spends the rest of the night restless.

\----

Lena knocks on her door first thing in the morning. There are apologies dripping from her tongue and a piece of chocolate cake in her hands. Something had come up.

Kara forgives her with a chaste kiss to the cheek.

The cake is _really_ good.

13.

“You bought me a record.” Lena smiles, allowing Kara to step inside the apartment, her hands grazing the front of the album with affection.

Kara, proud of the reaction, smiles and says, “I scanned your collection and thought updating it would be nice.”

“Who is Lana Del Rey?”

Kara gasps in shock. “Are you serious? Oh, you’re going to love this.”

Taking Lena’s hand, she guides them further inside and puts the record on the player.

14.

“Alex?”

Sam’s voice enters the home office, and Alex briefly glances up before turning back to the papers in front of her. Her girlfriend comes to stand behind her chair, wrapping her arms around Alex’s shoulders. Peering over them, she sees that Alex has Kara’s medical file from her private practice.

“This again?” Sam asks, concerned. That’s what happens most times when she sees Alex going over the same old papers again.

Alex sighs, leaning her head against Sam’s. “Something isn’t right with Kara, and I don’t have any other guess besides things are getting bad for her.”

“Bad?” Sam questions, frowning at the idea. “Alex, she's been really happy recently.”

“I know, but things don’t add up and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”

“Have you thought that maybe you’re being a worried, protective sister?” Sam teases, brushing her hands along Alex’s lovely collarbone.

“Sam, I can feel something wrong in my gut.”

Everyone knows that Alex relies heavily on her instincts and that she never goes against them; they usually turn out to be right. Sam sighs, kissing her forehead and telling her that dinner is almost ready. Alex is stubborn, especially when it comes to Kara, and Sam accepted this years ago.

That doesn’t mean Alex gets to skip dinner.

15.

In the living room, Dreams by Fleetwood Mac plays on the record player. The static settles snug in their bones.

Lena laughs, directing Kara's attention back to her. They're lying drunk on the shaggy, bright orange rug of Lena’s apartment. Lena also has rolled a joint, and Kara waves a little of the smoke out of her face.

Lena is wearing her best smile. The one that can’t be held back – loud, bright, true. It’s the one that appears during what most would consider their ugly laugh. From this angle, Kara can’t see the fullness of it but she can see Lena’s side profile. She can see the crinkle at the edge of her eyes and the few tears sliding down them. She can see the lift of her cheek and the redness blooming on it.

Kara thinks it’s beautiful.

“What’s so funny?” she asks Lena gently. A grin of her own is on her face.

Lena turns toward her, but only Kara’s breath hitches at how close their faces are now. Close enough to feel the puffs of laughter on her face as Lena tries to calm herself down. She’s doing a terrible job, but it’s not like Kara is going to tell her that.

Finally, Lena has calmed and she recognizes that another half inch and their noses would be brushing. It doesn’t seem to bother Lena though. In fact, her lips just smirk, not giving anything away as she speaks, “Are you aware that owls can sit cross legged?”

It’s the most bizarrely timed question Kara has ever been asked. She laughs, brow furrowed in confusion. “I wasn’t until now.”

Then, suddenly, Lena is sitting up and chugging the last of her wine. When she sets the glass back down, she leans back on a hand as she continues to smoke the joint with her other. Lena's hair is down, wrapped around a shoulder and the baggy shirt she has on slides a bit off the other shoulder. The sun is going down, but the remainder of its glow scatters through the blinds and frames Lena perfectly. She’s so beautiful. Kara's chest aches.

As if she's aware of the attention she’s getting, Lena smiles down at Kara before angling her head away to blow out smoke. Kara gave her a respect point for not blowing smoke in her face a long time ago.

“Have you ever kissed a woman, Kara?” Lena catches her off guard, mischievous spark in her eyes that is brighter from the weed. 

Kara has to hold back a squeak, but her jaw drops anyway and nothing is coming out of her mouth, she’s so flustered. Why would Lena ask that? 

“Have you ever kissed anyone?”

There’s a pause laced with tension that drags out for a moment before Kara adjusts her glasses, shaking her head in the negative. 

Lena stares at her hard, unblinking, before humming and lifting the joint to her red painted lips for a drag. Kara watches as her chest rises with the lungful of smoke, and pays attention to the slight pucker of full lips as the smoke is gently exhaled.

“Do you want to try?” Lena asks, smirk in place, having caught on to Kara's staring.

Kara, dumbfounded and bisexual, can do nothing besides nod. Is this really about to happen? She has always wanted to truly explore her sexuality, but she hadn't met a woman she was comfortable enough with to do so. Besides, most people have had their first kiss way before twenty-four and the situation makes Kara feel awkward.

Lena takes a long drag of the joint without breaking eye contact. When she lowers it away from her mouth, she begins to lean in and --- oh. This isn’t what Kara had in mind, but she’s heard of what they are about to do. Shotgun – when one blows smoke in someone else’s mouth for them to take a hit without actually smoking from the joint or cigarette.

Lena's eyes close just as their lips brush, and Kara has to stop from inhaling too sharply. It would be embarrassing to cough in this moment. Their lips aren’t really touching, and it certainly isn’t a proper kiss. A little disappointing, but Kara slowly inhales the weed and Lena pulls away. 

Kara can’t even attempt to hold the smoke in her lungs because it all comes out within a few seconds in the form of harsh coughing. It’s the exact opposite of what she wanted to happen, but at least Lena's face isn’t right there. Kara covers her mouth with her elbow and tries to calm herself down. 

Lena laughs, lovely and amused.

When her lungs and throat have settled, Kara looks into shiny eyes. Lena almost looks…in love. _Fuck it_ , Kara thinks, verbally saying, “Can – Can we try that again?”

Lena's eyes widen, almost surprised at the question. She attempts to bring the joint back up to her lips, but Kara reaches out to gently stop her hand midway. With a deep breath and the confusion in Lena's eyes, Kara makes the bold move of leaning in again.

Her hand cups a pale cheek, and her lips press against that enticing ruby red lipstick. Lena does breath in sharply, but her lips press back with the same pressure given and Kara feels lightheaded. Brushing her thumb across a pale cheek, she almost keens when Lena barely opens her lips and takes Kara’s bottom one in her own. Kara fumbles with the kiss, her inexperience kicking in, but she’s willing to learn. The kiss could have lasted a lifetime, but in reality it was probably a good thirty seconds. Kara's lips are sticky when they pull back.

At first, she doesn’t move. Just sits there with her eyes closed and her heart racing. Dazed, she finally opens her eyes and there is sadness in Lena’s own.

Lena stares at her for a long moment, sighing and giving her a little fake smile. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

Kara has a feeling that is a bad thing. Then Lena is up from the floor, walking away to pour more wine in her glass. The moment is gone, but still making Kara's head spin.

16.

A thunderstorm rolls into National City. The heavy rain thuds on the glass of her apartment windows, and the thunder is consistent. Weather like this has always left Kara with mixed feelings. She likes the sound of the rain, and the smell. She likes the brightness of lightning, but she doesn’t like how gloomy it gets or how loud the thunder can be. It could be scary sometimes, and as the electricity flickers she becomes a little uneasy.

Bella comes to curl up in her lap on the couch, and Kara doesn’t blame her. They comfort each other, always. She wonders if Lena ever allowed herself the privilege of being a dog's person. Bella was hers first, yes, but Lena likes to keep closeness at a line.

Kara picked that up quickly, but she also watched as the walls falling apart.

They don’t talk to each other for days after the kiss. It has her anxiety running wild, making her believe she messed it all up. If only Lena would just talk to her, so they can clear the air. Kara doesn’t regret the kiss, but she does have an interest in not losing her friend – her best friend.

A series of loud knocks suddenly fill the place, making Kara – and in return, Bella – startle at the sound. Reluctantly, Kara gently ushers Bella away and uncurls herself from her comfy spot to head to the door. Alex knows how she feels about storms, and that’s who she suspects is here. It turns out that she is wrong, so wrong, because Lena – soaking wet from head to toe – pushes forward from her spot in the hall when the door opens. Nobody has anything on the butterflies Kara feels flutter around in her stomach when Lena kisses her.

They stumble back with Lena's force, and Kara senses desperation in the press of Lena's lips and hands. Lena becomes a bit shorter as she kicks off her heels. Her hands stripping herself of her wet leather jacket and fisting her hands in Kara’s hair.

“Wait,” Kara pulls back, a bit breathless. This is confusing, but it feels right.

“I think we’ve waited long enough,” Lena counters, pulling Kara back down by the nape of her neck until they’re kissing again.

The rain beating hard against the window makes pleasant mood setting music. The smell of her own apartment is vanilla and lavender. The lighting is already dimmed.

Kara feels cocoons cracking open with beautiful butterflies in her stomach as they kiss. Taking her time, while allowing Lena to start walking them backwards towards her bed, Kara kisses a sculpted jawline and down, down, down to a perfect collarbone. Slowly, she lifts Lena’s shirt and feels breathless at the exposed skin before her. _My god, she’s stunning._ She resumes her kissing along a busty chest in a red lace bra.

Lena moans and it’s like a song you can’t stop thinking about. Kara memorizes the sound to repeat it later in the future. Lena unsnaps her own bra, letting it fall to the floor between them. This is so good.

The good settles in Kara’s heart, especially when Lena takes her time stripping Kara down to her underwear. She whimpers as Lena’s fingers trace the skin of her abdomen.

In reality, Kara has no idea what she’s doing here. Her inexperience known the night she kissed someone – Lena – for the first time, but she’s more than willing to follow the flow. Lena seems to want this, and Kara would be lying if she said she didn’t.

Lena pushes her on her back on the bed, straddling her hips. Kara gulps, hands cupping those perfect hips, bucking up experimentally. Lena seems to like that, rolls her own hips down and cupping her own breasts. Kara pushes one hand away, leaning up and taking a nipple in her mouth. She starts with a soft sucking motion and revels in Lena tugging her head closer.

Lena leans to whisper in her ear, sending chill bumps down her spine. “I think you should take off my pants.”

Kara rolls them over effortlessly, laughing with Lena. Fumbling, but making quick work of Lena’s pants and matching red lace panties, Kara then finishes stripping herself.

It’s easy and perfect the way her body settles in between Lena’s delicious thighs.

Kara makes a map out of Lena's body. Traces each curve, kisses the skin in her path. She finds each beauty mark decorating pale skin and dips her tongue inside Lena’s bellybutton, earning herself a giggle.

Traveling back up, her hand follows down the same path but heads straight for Lena’s pussy. They both moan when her fingers land on Lena’s clit – Lena from the contact, and Kara from the warmth and wetness. Picking up a firm and slow pace, Kara starts rubbing in tiny, clumsy circles.

Lena is built up to the edge. She’s panting heavily in Kara’s ear as her neck is sucked on, hands clutching at Kara’s shoulders and hips bucking up for the chase of bliss. To send her over, Kara switches to thumbing her clit and fingering her with two digits. It’s the curl and hard thrust of her fingers that finally makes Lena come.

As she lets Lena ride the orgasmic waves, a thigh is slipped between her own and she rides it for a few moments before falling over the edge, too.

\----

That night turns into an entire weekend.

They make a mess of the bed, and the sink – bits of cookie dough batter left in the bowl.

Lena settles into Kara’s space like it’s her own – like they’ve lived together this entire time. Kara witnesses Lena’s comfort here. The way she stands naked while making tea to the way she walks in the dark all the way back to Kara perfectly, as if she knows the direction by heart.

Briefly, Kara thinks that she doesn’t want Lena to ever leave.

17.

It’s the day Alex has been waiting, impatiently, to arrive for months.

Once, her wedding day would have meant joining the life of a good, dimpled, detective for the rest of her own. Oh, it’s insane how much things can change over time.

“And you’re sure mystery woman will be here?”

Kara rolls her eyes with a smile. “Her name is _Lena_ ,” Kara tells her, because they been over this all ready, “and she promised.”

Alex hums, doubtful, much to Kara’s dislike, but she bites her tongue and straightens her sister’s black bowtie. Just because Lena bailed once didn’t mean she will again. Kara believes in her.

During the ceremony, a flash of red takes Kara’s attention away from the brides – and there she is. They make eye contact and Lena smiles politely as she takes a seat in the back. Kara beams at the force of the butterflies in her stomach. Lena always gives her the best ones.

As Alex says her vows, a lovesick expression on her face, Kara walks to the back and sits down. She takes Lena's hand and doesn’t let go. She isn’t aware of the confusion in James’ eyes when he takes photos of her. Alex had asked him to be the photographer, to which he instantly agreed.

Her focus is solely on love.

18.

“Tell me a secret.”

They’re on the roof of the apartment building, lying down on a fluffy black blanket and stargazing. The pollution from the city’s streetlamps makes it hard to see more than a couple handful of stars, but Kara likes being here anyway.

“A secret?” Lena asks, before humming and pondering on what to tell her. Once, her hand squeezes Kara’s hand before retreating. “I hid something in my apartment.”

Kara turns her head, eyeing Lena’s side profile in curiosity. “What did you hide?”

“Well,” Lena vaguely smirks, the usual kick not behind it, “that is another secret.”

“Why would you do something like that?” Kara turns the rest of her body this time, wrapping an arm around Lena’s waist as her hand nestles gentle on her hip.

“I always thought whoever found it,” Lena bites her lip, using her hand to trace patterns on Kara’s skin, “well, they would be the one to bring justice.”

Kara is so confused by this information, but Lena seems to be carefully dancing around the bigger picture and Kara tells her a secret instead.

19.

James shows up to the Danvers-Arias household, urgently asking Sam to let him speak to Alex.

“Whoa, James.” Alex comes downstairs at the commotion, hand help up in a calming gesture to him. “Calm down, and tell me what’s wrong.”

“No, Alex, you don’t understand.” James steps through the front door, holding out a file. “You remember letting us know that something might be up with Kara and this Lena woman? I think you’re on to something. Take a look.”

“What is it?” Alex asks, hurrying to grab the file from him.

“It’s a photo from your wedding.”

“Oh, how are those coming along by the way?” Sam asks, kind and interested.

James smiles briefly. “They’re coming along great. You’re going to love them.”

“I can’t believe Lena bailed right after the ceremony,” Alex grumbles. “We didn’t get to meet her again.”

“This might tell you why.”

Sam hovers over Alex’s shoulder to get a better look. They both pause.

“I knew it,” Alex directs to Sam, not unkindly, and invites James further inside to discuss.

The three sit around the table for almost an hour, talking and coming up with any possible conclusions.

\----

The next day, Alex knocks on the door to a modest home on the edge of the town line. With a little digging, it wasn’t hard to get the address of Kara’s landlord. This is for Kara’s own good.

An old man wearing flannel and a grumpy face opens the door with a beer in his hand. “What do you want?”

Okay. So, not the nicest greeting, but Alex rolls with it. She smiles and introduces herself by her first name, asking about apartment 407.

The man looks shocked at the questioning and, also, like she has two heads sprouting from her neck. “That apartment hasn’t been rented out in years, lady. People like to stay away from it.”

“Why?”

“Lady, I don’t have time for this.” He goes to close the door, but she jams her boot in the doorway before he can.

“Just – just give me something, please.”

So, he does then slams the door promptly in her face.

20.

Lena loves dancing.

They’re older moves that are poorly executed, but they make Kara happy just the same. Though, it’s the slow dances that Kara loves the most. The way Lena lets her pull her closer. Their heads will rest against each others, that bright orange shaggy rug between their toes as they just sway – patiently, in love.

21.

The ground was wet, but the rain had cleared up and the sun is breaking through the clouds. Alex waits in the park, checking her watch and rocking back a little on her feet. A week ago, she called in a favor with an old family friend from the NCPD to run some checks on the information the landlord to Kara’s building gave her. Earlier today, a phone call had came in with a direct order to meet up with Director J'onzz.

J’onn makes a beeline towards a bench and sits down. Alex waits a minute before joining him, not making eye contact and keeping aware of her other surroundings.

“You should take a look,” J’onn says, putting a large yellow envelope in the middle of them. Alex reaches for it, fingers at the ready to open it when he puts a hand out to stop her. “Not here.”

\----

As soon as she makes it home, Alex heads straight to the home office and, immediately, pulls everything out of the envelope. Inside the envelope, Alex finds documents (copies of police reports that could get J’onn fired with an equally private, very detailed, medical file) and old articles. She pulls the articles out to read them thoroughly, and discovers the entire publicly known history of Lena McGrath (Luthor).

The truth had sitting obviously underneath her nose all along.

Instantly, she calls J’onn. He picks up on the first ring and Alex starts talking before he can say hello to her.

“So, you’re saying my sister is in love with a – a what exactly?” Alex asks, slowly and face contorted in disbelief and confusion.

J’onn says firmly, “I’m afraid I don’t have an exact answer for you, Alex. The anniversary is coming up. It was a big story in National City. You did say she had an interest in the truth through journalism, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.” Alex pinches the bridge of her nose as she listens to him.

“It is quite possible Kara had seen an article and for some reason took it for the use of her own imagination. Maybe it triggered her. I wish I had more answers for you, but I do not.” J’onn’s voice is steady, before he tells her a little more softly, “Just look out for her.”

“ _Always._ ”

22.

_“For you, I am good enough. For me, I am happy”._

They’re laying in Lena’s bed and the woman is reading passages out of a tiny book to Kara.

“Who wrote that one?” Kara whispers, her head is on Lena’s sheet covered lap. Her eyes are closed as a hand keeps running through her blonde locks, only stopping to turn pages. Lena does this when Kara stays the night. They’ll make love and then settle down, Lena reading to her while Kara soaks in the comfort and warmth.

Tracing the bare skin of Kara’s back, Lena whispers back, “It’s mine.”

Quickly, Kara looks up and sees nothing but love and vulnerability.

“I think it’s time for an encore,” she says, sitting up and gently taking the book out of Lena’s hands to sit it on the nightstand beside them.

Lena laughs fully before quieting down as Kara pulls back the sheet and lowers her head back down.

23.

“We need to talk.”

Alex walks directly through the doorway when Kara opens it, armed with the yellow envelope.

Kara closes the door behind her, crossing her arms across her chest when she turns. “What’s wrong?”

Fuck, Kara looks so concerned for Alex, but she isn’t the problem. Alex doesn’t know exactly how to talk about this problem – Kara’s problem – when she herself doesn’t know what Kara’s part in this is. What is going on inside that head of hers?

“It’s about Lena.”

“What about Lena? Is she okay?”

Well, shit, that deepens her sister’s frown and now her eyes are flat out panicking. Bella, from her spot on the bed, pokes hear head up and stares at Kara’s actions. She’s probably getting concerned herself at the energy coming off of her owner.

“No, Kara, she’s… fine. I just – ” Alex stops Kara from opening the door and bolting across the hall. “I need to tell you something about her.”

“Oh. Well, if she’s okay, then what’s with the weird attitude you have?”

Alex sighs, walking father into the studio and gesturing to the couch as she sits. Kara follows her, curling her legs underneath herself and looking interested. The deep crinkle between her brows has not gone away during the five minutes Alex has been in her sister’s company.

“How have you been feeling?” Alex asks, dodging the question. She does want to know how Kara has been doing, for more answers.

The last time something had been wrong with Kara, she had been admitted to the hospital. They spent weeks trying to help her. They medicated her and had her in extensive therapy before releasing her into the hands of her sister.

“Fine,” Kara draws out, slow and confused. “I thought this was about Lena, not me.”

“Right. Listen, Kara…” Alex looks away, gathering courage to broach the subject, looking in her sister’s eyes when she finds it. “Lena isn’t real. At least, not anymore.”

“What are you talking about?” Kara starts to laugh, still confused. “Of course Lena is real. What do you mean by anymore?”

“Kara, she died over twenty-five years ago.”

“Okay, this prank isn’t funny, Alex.”

“It’s not a prank. I have proof.”

Kara looks at the envelope on Alex’s lap, but starts shaking her head. “No, you’re lying. Stop it, Alex. I’m going over to Lena’s, right now.”

“No, she won’t be there.” Alex reaches out to sit Kara back down, but her sister is being stubborn by shoving off her hand and remaining standing. Alex stands up to match her eye-to-eye. “This isn’t _normal_ , Kara. You’re in love with a delusion. Not a living human being. And – and I’m sorry, but I need you to come back into our reality.”

“This _is_ my reality.” Kara stresses, arms coming out, motioning in hopes for understanding. “If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to have the moments I have had with her.”

Alex stresses back, “There were no moments, Kara!”

“But we made _love_ , Alex!”

Kara starts to cry. Alex starts to cringe at the entire situation.

“No, you didn’t.” Alex starts to soften her stance and facial features, says, “Kara, I know this may be hard for you to understand – ”

“No, you’re wrong. I can prove it. It’s all _real_ , Alex.” 

“It isn’t real enough.”

Kara’s features noticeably change; her eyes change to a side of anger Alex has never seen from her before. Her jaw tightens and her fists curl up so hard that they become pale. Her nails seem to be digging into her skin.

“Get out.”

Alex stares, surprised at her sister’s tone. She doesn’t know whether to take a step forward or backward, but she knows she needs to do something quickly. “Kara.”

“Now.”

“Fine. But,” Alex places the envelope J’onn gave her on the couch before heading to the door, “if you don’t want to believe me then believe that.”

Then Alex is gone and Kara is left staring at the envelope.

\----

It’s at the bottom.

And there she is.

In black and white ink on an old fading cutout of a news article, Lena Luthor stares right back at her. Kara starts to choke up, eyes scanning the information below.

Lena had died back in August of 1985.

 _No_.

Kara pulls out the police report. It states the police had Lillian Luthor as the main suspect, but no evidence to prove it had been her. The case had gone cold.

 _No_.

Kara pulls out the medical file next. It states horrible things that had been done to Lena’s body. It wasn’t the average simple kill. She had been tortured. The details in the report are so gruesome that Kara feels bile rise in her throat and she can’t stomach reading anything further.

 _No_.

The last thing had been the photo Alex had received from James. A nice black and white shot from the wedding with Kara smiling lovingly beside her in the back booth, but Lena wasn’t there and all Kara had been smiling at was air; the hand supposed to be holding Lena’s held nothing but her own.

 _No, this can’t be right_.

Quickly, she bolts for the door and across the hallway. She bangs on the door, calling out for Lena. It can’t be true. It can't be true. When the knocking goes answered, she jiggles the locked doorknob and shoves her shoulder against the door. It bursts open.

The sight of the inside stops her dead in her tracks. It’s gone. The pretty lights. The potted plants. That damn orange shaggy rug. The record player and records. The books lined against the walls – they are all gone. The only thing in the place is the Lana Del Rey album sitting on the floor.

Then it all comes to her.

Everything about _them_ rushes forward but in each memory Lena is gone and all Kara sees is herself. It had been only her. Memories of Kara talking to, and eating by, herself. Images of only her lying on the apartment floor and the roof. An image of Kara slow dancing by herself. Images of Kara kissing the air. Images of Kara fucking herself when she thought she was making love to Lena.

It’s embarrassment licking up her body and making her cringe. It can’t be true.

 _“It can’t be,”_ Kara keeps saying, hands coming up to grip her head. The overwhelming thoughts won’t go away and it’s crippling her down to the very floor she thought she had fallen in love on. A sob rips, ugly and unrestrained, from the back of her throat. Her hand immediately covers her mouth by reflex, and, wildly, she starts to shake her head.

“Kara.”

Kara looks up to see that her sister is back. Alex probably didn’t even leave. Most likely hid in the stairwell waiting for Kara’s reaction. Alex kneels down and tries to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, but Kara retreats.

“I can’t," she says, but it’s a broken tone. One that sounds more like a whine in mourning as she continues, “I – I cant do this.”

Alex is hot on her heels as she flees to her apartment, but she’s a little too slow and Kara already has the door open and stepping inside.

“Kara! Kara, wait!” Alex says, desperately. 

Kara is already trying to shut it when Alex makes to the door. It closes in her face and she hears the locks being turned. “Kara, open the door!” she says, pounding on it with her fist a couple of times. When she stops, all she hears is silence.

Kara is on the other side of the door trying to calm herself down. Breathe in. Breathe out. Choke back a sob. Repeat.

Alex starts to speak softly from her spot in the hallway, “Please, open the door. We can talk about this. Or not talk about it, and stuff our faces with pizza and potstickers. Or hug. Whatever you want, but _please_ , don’t shut me out.” Her hand is pressed to the door and she listens again, hoping for a response.

Kara doesn’t give her one and Alex understands that this is her exit. Kara needs space, but she’s just _worried_ about her. Her final words are almost a whisper, but her gut tells her Kara hears.

“I’ll be here whenever you’re ready.”

Kara listens to Alex’s footsteps as she leaves.

24.

She moves out on a Tuesday in October. It’s been a year since the place became her home. An entire year that held so much happiness before falling into despair and false memories.

Her therapist recommended another fresh start, but under the watchful eye of her family. Kara wonders if they’ll ever see her fit enough to be on her own again. She keeps messing up.

Alex takes the last of the boxes out to the car while Kara locks up and slips the key under the door for the landlord to receive. The correct thing to do – the least hurtful – would be to keep walking and heading outside, but she catches sight of door 407 and something about leaving without looking back doesn’t sit right with her.

Kara looks towards the stairs, searching for any signs of her sister, before making her way over to the apartment. The door is still unlocked, and Kara makes her way inside.

It feels so cold.

Looking around, Kara tries to take it all in, right down to the edges of false memories.

Bella walks straight over to the bedroom doorway, sitting down and not moving from her spot. She barks a couple of times.

“What is it, babe? Huh?” Kara talks to her dog, but Bella seems determined to sit there and stare at her. Kara doesn’t see anything that would make her dog act weird, and so she opens the door to the bedroom. Unlike before, the door gets stuck for a moment and when it pushes open a space of the doorframe comes undone just the tiniest amount.

“Oh, shoot,” Kara mumbles to herself, moving to push it back in. It’s then that something catches her eye. There’s a slit in the wall underneath and a vague color of yellow in it.

It’s then she remembers the “talk” of secrets.

No way. If the memories were false, there shouldn’t be something hidden in the walls like false Lena said there was.

Gripping the doorframe, it takes a few wiggles before it cracks open further and in the slit in the wall is a large envelope. She latches on to pull it from its spot. Lena's secret rests in the palm of her hand. Kara's heart goes wild.

“What are you doing in here?”

“Geez, Alex!” Kara startles, almost throwing the envelope. “The heart can only handle so much.”

Alex looks at her oddly, scanning the scene before her. Her eyebrow quirks at the broken off frame. “I hope you’re going to replace that. What’s in your hands?”

“Is privacy impossible now?” Kara demands, hugging the envelope to her chest.

“Well, maybe if you weren’t stalling I wouldn’t have had to come over here.”

“I’m not stalling.”

“You are.”

“I’m not. I’m just – I’m just saying goodbye.” Kara says, sadness in her eyes.

Alex looks curious, but understanding, and says, “We should head out soon. Ruby is helping Sam cook all of us dinner.” Before leaving, she points to the frame, says, “And don’t forget to replace that.”

\----

“Are you ready?”

Kara looks at her sister, shrugging a shoulder. “I guess it’s now or never.”

“You’re going to live a good life,” Alex says, putting her hands on Kara's shoulders and giving them a reassuring squeeze. Her eyes hold hope, and her encouraging smile holds its position.

When Kara enters the vehicle and waits for Alex to do the same, Bella starts to bark wildly on the backseat.

“What’s the matter, buddy?” Kara asks, looking into the back and trying to calm the dog down. 

Bella just continues to bark up and out the window.

Giving in to curiosity, Kara looks towards the apartment and sees nothing. Her instincts scream at her to look up, though, and following them leads to seeing Lena smiling down at her through the dirty window of the old Luthor apartment. 

Lena raises a hand and uses her delicate fingers to give a little wave. Kara hasn’t seen her since the day before Alex showed up with the envelope.

Kara blinks, and Lena is gone.

The sound of the driver’s side door makes Kara avert her attention. Alex gets in and immediately starts the vehicle, rolling down the windows and turning the radio volume up.

“What was her problem?” Alex asks, glancing over at her sister and signaling to enter the lane.

“I don’t know,” Kara lies, adjusting her glasses and reaching to pet the top of Bella’s head when the dog sandwiches itself between the two front seats. She watches the apartment building from the rearview mirror until it vanishes from sight. Her breathing hitches and it takes every ounce of strength she has not to cry.

25.

The envelope held everything.

Lena had been clean with her notes, organized. There were detailed evil plans with Lillian’s fingerprints all over them. Black and white photos of Lillian meeting up with assassins and ex-cons, business men making bad mistakes for more money. Tapes with Lillian’s voice talking to some of the men about planning Lena’s demise.

Lena had solved her own murder before it even happened.

At last, they find Lillian Luthor – old, wrinkly, decaying.

The evidence is practically thrown at her in the court room, and the jury takes less than an hour to come back with a guilty verdict: life with no parole.

James takes a picture of Lillian being led away. Kara holds Alex’s hand tightly, crying with relief.

They did it.

Lena Luthor has justice.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to kudos and review. I hope you enjoyed the story. If there's any confusion I will gladly answer questions.


End file.
